Field
The present disclosure relates to a printing apparatus including a wireless power transmission apparatus, and a method for controlling the same.
Description of the Related Art
Inkjet printers configured so that an ink head for discharging ink and a driving circuit for driving the ink head are mounted on a carriage movable with respect to a housing have been conventionally known. Some small-sized inkjet printers even have an ink tank mounted on a carriage. In such printers, to supply power needed for the operation of the ink head mounted on the carriage, a power supply arranged outside the carriage and the carriage are connected by physical wiring, such as a flexible flat cable (FFC).
In such printers, printing is performed by the carriage making a reciprocating motion with respect to a print medium, such as paper, while discharging ink in synchronization with the reciprocating motion. The repetition of such a reciprocating motion can wear and break the FFC connecting the carriage and the power supply. In view of the circumstances, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-223804 discusses a technique for introducing a wireless power transmission technique to wirelessly supply power to the carriage and make the FFC wireless.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-223804 does not take into consideration a power transmission control according to the state of the printer. For example, the amount of discharged ink varies with data to be printed by the printer (hereinafter, print data). Driving power (power consumption) of the ink head therefore varies depending on the print data. Without a power transmission control suited to the power consumption that varies based on the state of the printing apparatus such as the driving power of the ink head, wasteful power consumption can occur. In addition, heat or radiation noise from power failed to be transmitted can also occur. These issues are also applicable in printing apparatuses other than inkjet printers where a recording unit is moved by a carriage.